Logging grapple carriage

ABSTRACT

A carriage is designed for use with a logging grapple shiftable between open and closed positions by changes in the length of its operating lines. The carriage has connecting means for connecting it with the grapple and with conventional outhaul and inhaul cables. It is provided further with a pair of suspension members adapted to track on the outhaul cable and thereby suspend the carriage. The suspension members move up and down upon alternately applying and releasing the grapple weight. A grapple-actuating sheave frictionally engages the outhaul cable. The sheave is shiftable by cable movement between two terminal positions at the respective ends of a horizontal track. Grapple operating line guides on the sheave and on the carriage are so arranged that the sheave shortens the grapple lines when it moves to one of its terminal positions and lengthens them when it moves to the other. This alternates the grapple between open and closed positions.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Philip F. Hahn Eugene, Oreg. 848,906

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. l-lornsby Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney-Eugene D. Farley [21] Appl. No. [22] Filed Aug.1l,l969 [45] Patented Mar.30, 1971 ABSTRACT: A carriage is designed for use with a logging grapple shiftable between open and closed positions by changes in the length of its operating lines. The carriage has connecting means for connecting it with the grapple and with conventional outhaul and inhaul cables. It is provided further with a pair of suspension members adapted to track on the outhaul cable and thereby suspend the carriage. The suspension members move up and down upon alternately applying and releasing the grapple weight.

A grapple-actuating sheave frictionally engages the outhaul cable. The sheave is shiftable by cable movement between two References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,034,386 7/1912 terminal positions at the respective ends of a horizontal track.

Grapple operating line guides on the sheave and on the carriage are so arranged that the sheave shortens the grapple lines when it moves to one of its terminal positions and lengthens them when it moves to the other. This alternates the between open and closed positions.

1,590,020 6/1926 Golden........

grapple- 3,407,942 10/1968 McIntyre...................:::

IOO

Patented 30, 1am

Phili E Hahn BY INVENTOR 4,814 fiflafi LOGGING GRAPPLE CARRIAGE This invention relates to logging grapple carriages. It pertains particularly to carriages employed in supporting grapples used for transferring logs from a logging site to a landing or loading station.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of grapple logging apparatus incorporating the presently described carriage;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the carriage; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Typical grapple logging apparatus of the class with which the present invention may be employed is illustrated in FIG. 1.

A conventional two cable winding drum yarder is located at the landing site to which the logs are to be carried. The outhaul cable 12 passes from its yarder drum, through a block at the top of the yarder mast to the tail block 14 and thence, reversely, back to the far side of a carriage 16 which is suspended on the cable. The inhaul cable 18 passes from its yarder drum through a block near the top of the yarder mast and is connected to the near side of the carriage.

A conventional, scissors-type, line-operated grapple 20 is suspended from the carriage by means of support link 22. Grapple operating lines 24, 24a interconnect the carriage and the respective arms of the grapple. Upon shortening these lines, the grapple opens; upon lengthening them, it closes gravitationally.

In the use of the grapple, the carriage is moved to the log site by reeling in the outhaul cable 12 with the grapple open. At the log, the outhaul cable is slacked oil. The grapple descends and encompasses the log.

The inhaul cable 18 is reeled in while braking the outhaul cable, and keeping it in a slacked position. Contemporaneously, grapple lines 24, 24a are lengthened, permitting the grapple arms to gravitate to their closed position and grip the log. Both grapple and log are elevated and moved to the landrng.

At the landing the cables are slacked off, and the log lowered to the ground. Grapple lines 24, 240 are tightened to open the grapple and deposit the log by reeling in the outhaul cable 12, while the inhaul line 18 is braked in slacked position. The carriage and open grapple then are hauled back to the logging site by reeling in outhaul cable 12. This sequence is repeated as often as necessary to clear the area of logs.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a carriage designed for supporting a logging grapple in the manner outlined above and for operating it positively, rapidly and safely using only one inhaul and one outhaul line to operate the grapple on a conventional, two-cable, winding drum yarder.

The carriage 16 which assists in accomplishing these functions is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The carriage is housed in a case having a pair of central, spaced, longitudinally extending, support walls or partitions 32. The case is provided at the top with end openings through which outhaul cable 12 extends. It is provided at the bottom with central openings through which grapple operating lines 24, 24a extend. It further is provided with connections 34, 36 and 38 to which the ends of outhaul cable 12, inhaul cable 18 and grapple support link 22 are connected.

Means are provided for suspending carriage 16 on outhaul cable 12.

To this end partitions 32 are provided with a pair of horizontally spaced, vertically extending slots 40 enclosed by transverse guide members 42. Vertical support bar pairs 44 slidably are mounted in the guideways thus provided. In the illustrated form of the invention the carriage suspension members comprise sheaves 46 rotatably mounted on the upper ends of bars 44. The sheaves track on outhaul cable 12.

Thus, upon reeling in the inhaul line, the carriage first is elevated and next supported on sheaves 46. During this elevation, the sheaves lift upwardly to a limited extent as their sup-' port bars 44 slide upwardly in their containing guideways. The

sheaves remain lifted until returned to a lowered position in a manner and for a purpose to be described below.

Means further are provided for altering the length of grapple operating lines 24, 240 as required to work the grapple.

To this end support plates 32 are formed with registering, central, horizontal slots 48. These form a horizontal track in which rides grapple-actuating sheave means 50.

The latter includes a grooved pulley of substantial diameter. The upper surface of the pulley frictionally engages the underside of outhaul line 12.

Sheave 50 is mounted on a shaft 52. Rollers 54 are fixed to the shaft and also to the side walls of the sheave, They track on the lower edge surfaces of slots 48.

Sheave 50 thus is shiftable by movement of outhaul line 12 between two terminal positions at one end or the other of the horizontal track. To make this motion positive, and to prevent spinning of the sheave, there are fixed to shaft 52 a pair of pinion gears or sprockets 56. These engage longitudinally extending racks or chains 58 which are of limited extent and are supported on pads 60 mounted on partitions 32.

Since carriage 16 travels distances of several hundred yards on outhaul cable 12, means are present for insuring free rotation of sheave 50 in each of its terminal positions.

Thus there is provided at each terminal position a pocket formed by the arcuate surfaces of slots 48. Lower rollers 64 and upper rollers 66 rotatably are mounted on the pads 60 adjacent the pockets. These rollers underlie and abut, respectively, rollers 54 on the sheave assembly when the latter is in either of its terminal positions beyond the limits of racks or chains 58, thus permitting the sheave to spin freely with pinion gears or sprockets 56 out of engagement with the racks or chains.

Releasable latch means are provided for latching sheave 50 in one or the other of its terminal positions.

At each terminal position a long tandem latch 70 having a hook 72 is pivoted intermediate its ends by bearing-mounted pivot pins 74 secured to partition 32. Latch 70 is mounted eccentrically so that it normally gravitationally assumes the closed position of FIG. 2 in which it locks the sheave assembly in one of its terminal, freewheeling positions.

The inner end of the latch has an angled exterior surface 76 which is aligned with and follows a section of shaft 52. This shaft section serves as a latch bar.

The latch may be released by the action of resilient means connected to its outer end.

Such means may comprise springs, but in the illustrated form of the invention they comprise gas-pressed cylinders 80. These are connected by lines 82 to an accumulator 84. Cylinders, lines and accumulator are filled with hydraulic fluid. Ac-

cumulator 84, however, also contains an hermetically sealed sack filled with nitrogen or other gas.

The cases of cylinders are fastened by means of pins 86 to partition 32. The piston rods of both of the cylinders are connected to a common crosshead 88. The latter extends through slots 40 and through registering openings in the lower ends of support bars 44. This ties the bars to the cylinders.

Crosshead 88 also mounts one end of a pair of flexible connectors 90. The other end is connected by means of pin 92 to the shank end of latch 70.

Suitable guide means guide grapple control lines 24, 24a so that the reciprocating movement of sheave 50 from one side to the other of the horizontal guideway in which it is contained alternately lengthens and shortens the lines, thereby working the grapple.

Thus grapple line 24 is guided by a first pulley 94, a secon pulley 96 and a third pulley 98, its end being fixed to partition 32 by means of a bolt 100.

Pulleys 94, 96 are mounted rotatably on partition 32. Pulley 98, however, is mounted rotatably on shaft 52 through the agency of connecting links 102.

The guiding of line 24a is similar with the exception that it is guided by a horizontally spaced pulley 94a. Otherwise it passes over pulleys corresponding to pulleys 96, 98 and is bolted to the support partition on the opposite side of the assembly by means of a bolt 100.

OPERATION The operation of the herein described grapple carriage is as follows:

With the grapple jaws in open position, the grapple is moved to the log location by reeling in outhaul line 12 During this movement sheave 50 moves to the left, as shown in FIG. 2, until it resides in the left hand pocket and freewheels against rollers 64, 66. Suspension sheave 46 and attached cylinder 80 are in their lifted position, overriding the pressure of accumulator 84. Latch 70 is gravitated to its lowered, engaged position, maintaining the hook securely in its closed condition.

At the log location, outhaul line is slacked off until grapple 20 rests upon the log, with the grapple arms straddling the log. Upon the release of a predetermined proportion of the grapple and carriage weight, for example, 2,000 pounds of a 4,000 pound weight, accumulator 84 energizes cylinder 80 and opens latch 70.

With the latch open, inhaul line 18 is reeled in while braking outhaul line 12. This moves sheave 50 to its right hand terminal position as viewed in FlG. 2 where it freewheels again on rollers 64, 66. Such movement of the sheave lengthens lines 24, 24a so that the arms of grapple 20 gravitate to their closed position, engaging the log.

As the log is lifted by continued reeling in of cable 18, the right hand one of suspension sheaves 46 is elevated by contact with the outhaul cable. This overcomes the resistance of the accumulator system and permits latch 70 to assume gravitationally its lowered position. There it secures sheave 50 in the grapple closed position.

The log then is moved to the landing and lowered, whereupon the reverse cycle occurs.

Xclaim:

1. For use with a line-operated logging grapple, shiftable between open and closed positions by line length changes, a grapple support carriage comprising:

a. connecting means for connecting to the carriage a grapple, an outhaul cable and an inhaul cable;

b. a pair of horizontally spaced, vertically arranged guideways;

c. a pair of supports mounted for vertical reciprocation, one

in each of the guideways;

d. carriage suspension members mounted one on each support and arranged to track on one side of the outhaul cable;

e. horizontal track means between the carriage suspension members on the side of the outhaul cable opposite the carriage suspension members;

f. grapple-actuating sheave means tracking on the track means and frictionally engaging the other side of the outhaul cable;

g. the sheave means being shiftable between two terminal positions at the respective ends of the track means; and

h. grapple line guide means on the sheave means and carriage arranged for grapple line shortening at one of the terminal positions of the sheave means and grapple line lengthening at the other terminal position of the sheave means, thereby alternating the grapple between open and closed positions.

2. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 wherein the vertically moving carriage suspension members comprise rotatably mounted sheaves.

3. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including resilient means interconnecting the support means and the carriage and resiliently urging the support means to a position of outhaul cable tensioning.

4. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including rack and pinion means, the rack means being mounted horizontally on the carriage adjacent and parallel to the horizontal track means and the pinion means being mounted on the sheave means between its two terminal positions.

The grapple support carriage of claim 1 wherein the horizontal track means is provided with rollers at the two terminal positions of the sheave means, the rollers being arranged to insure free rotation of the sheave means at such positions.

6. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including latch means for latching the sheave means releasably at each of its terminal positions. v

7. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including latch means for latching the sheave means releasably at each of its terminal positions, the latch means comprising a latch hook, pivot means pivotally connecting the latch hook intermediate its ends to the carriage, resilient means connected to the supports and normally urging them and the carriage members which they mount in the direction of tensioning the outhaul cable, and link means interconnecting the resilient means and the latch hook and operable to release the latch hook upon operation of the tensioning means.

8. The grapple support carriage of claim 7 wherein the tensioning means comprises a gas-pressured hydraulic cylinder. 

1. For use with a line-operated logging grapple, shiftable between open and closed positions by line length changes, a grapple support carriage comprising: a. connecting means for connecting to the carriage a grapple, an outhaul cable and an inhaul cable; b. a pair of horizontally spaced, vertically arranged guideways; c. a pair of supports mounted for vertical reciprocation, one in each of the guideways; d. carriage suspension members mounted one on each support and arranged to track on one side of the outhaul cablE; e. horizontal track means between the carriage suspension members on the side of the outhaul cable opposite the carriage suspension members; f. grapple-actuating sheave means tracking on the track means and frictionally engaging the other side of the outhaul cable; g. the sheave means being shiftable between two terminal positions at the respective ends of the track means; and h. grapple line guide means on the sheave means and carriage arranged for grapple line shortening at one of the terminal positions of the sheave means and grapple line lengthening at the other terminal position of the sheave means, thereby alternating the grapple between open and closed positions.
 2. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 wherein the vertically moving carriage suspension members comprise rotatably mounted sheaves.
 3. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including resilient means interconnecting the support means and the carriage and resiliently urging the support means to a position of outhaul cable tensioning.
 4. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including rack and pinion means, the rack means being mounted horizontally on the carriage adjacent and parallel to the horizontal track means and the pinion means being mounted on the sheave means between its two terminal positions.
 5. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 wherein the horizontal track means is provided with rollers at the two terminal positions of the sheave means, the rollers being arranged to insure free rotation of the sheave means at such positions.
 6. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including latch means for latching the sheave means releasably at each of its terminal positions.
 7. The grapple support carriage of claim 1 including latch means for latching the sheave means releasably at each of its terminal positions, the latch means comprising a latch hook, pivot means pivotally connecting the latch hook intermediate its ends to the carriage, resilient means connected to the supports and normally urging them and the carriage members which they mount in the direction of tensioning the outhaul cable, and link means interconnecting the resilient means and the latch hook and operable to release the latch hook upon operation of the tensioning means.
 8. The grapple support carriage of claim 7 wherein the tensioning means comprises a gas-pressured hydraulic cylinder. 